Sustainable Food Trust

DECEMBER 4, 2023

Pesticides are damaging to soil, killing a range of organisms that are vital to soil health. Despite this, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides are still widely used in agriculture and these chemicals have become “ the most significant driver of soil biodiversity loss in the past decade ”.

Food 128

Food Ploughing Pesticide Fertilizer 128

Modern Farmer

AUGUST 24, 2023

Since the resurgence of regenerative agriculture, farming has never been sexier. But what does regenerative agriculture mean? It’s official: Regenerative agriculture has been hijacked. This distinction,” says Newton, “raises interesting implications about how you define regenerative agriculture.” That much is a start.

Food 98

Food Ranching Ecology Fertilizer 98

Daily Yonder

APRIL 11, 2023

Leadership from the USDA and agriculture schools, like the one at Iowa State University, influence farm methods; but even recommendations to reduce farm chemicals have unintended outcomes. One way to reduce agricultural chemicals is planting cover crops in the Fall after the cash crop is harvested. But the crop duster did.

Farming 52

Farming Farming Acre Seeding 52

Sustainable Food Trust

JANUARY 14, 2025

As news of weed killer resistant plants hits the headlines, Patrick Holden reflects on discussions at the latest Oxford Real Farming Conference, highlighting why the plough may not be the worst option when it comes to nature-friendly cultivation. The theme was how ploughing and cultivation can be good for soil health.

Ploughing 69

Ploughing Cultivation Pesticide Farming 69

Sustainable Food Trust

JUNE 14, 2023

But will the current trend away from ploughing towards direct drilling and the accompanying use of glyphosate bring the benefits advocates claim, or could this make matters even worse? Richard Young follows on from his article, Speed the plough or the direct drill and sprayer?

Ploughing 52

Ploughing Crop Yield Farming 52

RR2CS

MARCH 8, 2022

Often, in conventional agriculture, muskeg areas and sloughs are drained and ploughed. We weren’t going to use fungicides, herbicides, nor pesticides — partly for the health of the land and the diversity of the ecosystem, and partly for our own health. There’s an awareness that we can’t damage this forest ecosystem,” says Jenna.

Farming 52

Farming Farming Forage Seeding 52